Castaway Station

Castaway Station is a narrative-driven survival game about two survivors stranded on Prima Centauri B after a catastrophic accident aboard their space cruiser. You explore the hostile planet, encounter its lifeforms, complete missions and gather equipment and resources. The survivors will not get home, and if either character dies, they are permanently out for the rest of that run.

Survivors and teamwork

You choose two of four survivors to play as a team. Each has unique cards and special abilities, and their skills help you overcome obstacles and complete missions. In battle, either character can play Teamwork cards, which can work synergistically with the pair.

Cards and equipment

Build decks from character cards, equipment-linked cards and Story cards. Character cards are tied to equipment you find and can be customized for battles. Each has limited durability: playing it uses one charge, and when you use its final charge, it is depleted and plays twice. You unlock new cards for every 10 cards you deplete.

Story cards form a third deck, with cards based on the encounter, enemies, location and weather. Either character can play them. Over 200 unique character cards and over 170 Story cards are available.

The Shuttle’s Synthesizer lets you create custom character cards with a range of attack and defense options. These cards do not use charges and can be among the most powerful in the game. In the Shuttle, you can also replicate single-use items, enhance equipment and recharge cards. More than 50 pieces of equipment are tied to cards.

Missions and discoveries

The crew has 28 missions to choose from in the Shuttle’s Mission Log. Some are required to advance the narrative, while many can be repeated to build strength and assets. Missions include branching paths, and the game has over 130 unique encounters across more than 25 missions, as well as over 30 choice-based decision points that expand the story and offer rewards or challenges.

As you discover the flora and fauna of Prima Centauri B, you add entries to a Bestiary with details about the alien creatures and tips for fighting them. You can name the creatures yourself. The planet’s unique ecosystem contains 50 alien creatures.

Continuing runs

Failure carries some progress forward: unlocked cards, upgraded equipment and earned currency. If you complete the game, nine further difficulty levels await. The game has 10 difficulty levels, ranging from hard to impossible.

The narrative runs throughout the game and includes animated sequences.